oscillograph

/ɔ'siləgrɑ:f/

Thân thiện

An engineer monitors the signal on the oscillograph screen.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A device for recording waveforms: An oscillograph is an instrument that produces a permanent visual record (a graph) of the rapid variations (oscillations) in electrical voltage or current over time.

Usage

• The oscillograph is used in scientific and engineering fields to analyze electrical signals.
• It functions by converting electrical signals into a mechanical movement, typically of a pen or stylus, that traces the waveform onto moving paper or film.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: While modern digital oscilloscopes have largely replaced them, the term oscillograph specifically refers to devices that produce a physical, drawn record (a chart or photograph), unlike an oscilloscope which primarily displays the waveform on a screen.
• In Compound Terms: The principle is used in specific devices like the or .

Variants and Related Words

• Oscillogram (noun): The actual graph or record produced by an oscillograph.
  • The oscillogram showed a clear sine wave pattern.
• Oscilloscope (noun): A related electronic test instrument that displays voltage signals on a screen, typically in real-time, but does not necessarily produce a permanent physical record.
  • He observed the signal's frequency on the oscilloscope.

Synonyms

• Waveform recorder
• Chart recorder (when used for electrical signals)

Related Terms and Concepts

• Transducer: A component that converts the electrical signal into the mechanical movement needed for recording in many oscillographs.
• Galvanometer: A sensitive instrument for detecting electric current, often used as the core measuring element in classic oscillographs.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a device for making a record of the wave forms of fluctuating voltages or currents